Junior Fahr first reported weakness and pins-and-needles sensations while swimming before doctors later found a blocked artery in his brain.
PORTSLADE, England — A 7-year-old boy is walking and talking again after suffering a brain stem stroke that left him with brain damage, according to his mother, who said his first concerning symptoms appeared six weeks before doctors discovered a blocked artery in his brain.
Junior Fahr first complained of weakness and a pins-and-needles sensation down the left side of his body while swimming on May 12, his mother, Evangelynne Williams, told Kennedy News and Media. Williams took him to a hospital operated by University Hospitals Sussex, where she said he was examined but did not receive brain imaging. Junior returned to the hospital on June 25 after becoming sick and rapidly deteriorating. Scans ultimately showed a blocked artery, and he was transferred for emergency treatment.
Williams, 27, who lives in Portslade in East Sussex, said she became alarmed during the May swimming session when Junior told her that his left side felt weak and was tingling. She said she entered his symptoms into ChatGPT, which identified stroke as one possible explanation, prompting her to take him for medical assessment. Williams said staff performed several basic tests and told the family to return if the symptoms happened again. University Hospitals Sussex has since apologized to the family and said it is investigating Junior’s care.
Six weeks later, on June 25, Junior woke feeling ill and began vomiting, Williams said. His condition then worsened. She described him as delirious, unable to walk or support his body weight and at times unresponsive. The family returned to the hospital, where Williams said Junior initially spent hours in the children’s emergency department and was offered medication for nausea. She said his condition became more concerning when he appeared to have seizures and was crying in pain.
Williams said her mother arrived at the hospital and firmly asked for Junior to be assessed again. A senior staff member then became involved, according to the family’s account. Junior was moved for emergency assessment, and scans revealed an artery in his brain was blocked. Reports based on the family’s account identified the condition as a brain stem stroke. Junior was transferred to Southampton General Hospital for specialist treatment.
At Southampton, Junior underwent a mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure used to remove a clot blocking blood flow in the brain, according to reporting based on the family’s account. He was then placed in a medically induced coma for about three weeks. Williams said doctors initially warned the family that the stroke had caused serious brain damage and that his future physical abilities were uncertain.
Junior remained hospitalized until Aug. 11. Since leaving the hospital, his mother said he has regained abilities that the family feared he might lose permanently. He can now walk and talk, although Williams said the effects of the brain injury remain significant. She described changes in his behavior and development, saying he sometimes behaves as though he has regressed by several years.
Childhood stroke is uncommon but can occur at any age. Stroke Association clinical guidance says stroke symptoms in children can sometimes be difficult to recognize because some presentations are nonspecific. However, many children with strokes develop sudden neurological problems similar to those seen in adults. These can include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, problems with speech, seizures, difficulty walking or changes in balance. Brain imaging plays a central role in confirming the diagnosis because symptoms alone cannot reliably distinguish a stroke from other conditions.
The exact medical significance of Junior’s May episode has not been publicly established in a detailed clinical report. Williams believes the weakness and tingling were connected to the stroke that was later diagnosed, and several reports have described the episode as an early warning sign. The publicly available accounts do not establish precisely when the artery became blocked or when the brain injury occurred. University Hospitals Sussex has not publicly released the findings of its review.
The hospital trust told People that it extended its sincere apologies to Junior and his family and acknowledged how difficult the experience had been for them. The trust said it was investigating his care to understand the circumstances and determine whether lessons could be identified to improve future treatment. It also said it would continue supporting the family and listening to their concerns.
Williams has established an online fundraiser to help pay for additional rehabilitation and support for Junior, including physiotherapy and speech and language services. In an update about his recovery, she said her son continues to communicate, move and make progress. The family’s focus remains on his rehabilitation as the hospital reviews the treatment he received before the stroke was diagnosed.